CURRICULUM TOOL: GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC AGE
NYS Earth Science Core Curriculum
Performance Indicator 1.2 Describe current theories about the origin of the universe and
solar system.
Major Understandings:
1.2j Geologic history can be reconstructed by observing sequences of rock types and
fossils to correlate bedrock at various locations.
 The characteristics of rocks indicate the processes by which they formed and the
environments in which these processes took place.
 Fossils preserved in rocks provide information about past environmental conditions.
 Geologists have divided Earth history into time units based upon the fossil record.
 Age relationships among bodies of rocks can be determined using principles of
original horizontality, superposition, inclusions, cross-cutting relationships, contact
metamorphism, and unconformities. The presence of volcanic ash layers, index
fossils, and meteoritic debris can provide additional information.
 The regular rate of nuclear decay (half-life time period) of radioactive isotopes
allows geologists to determine the absolute age of materials found in some rocks.
Performance Indicator 2.1 Use the concepts of density and heat energy to explain
observations of weather patterns, seasonal changes, and the movements of Earth’s plates.
Major Understandings:
2.1o Plate motions have resulted in global changes in geography, climate, and the
patterns of organic evolution.
.
Some Past Part A Questions
1. The graph shows the decay of a radioactive material over time.
How long does it take for this radioactive material to decay
through 2 half-lives?
(1) 1 x 103 years
(3) 10 x 103 years
(2) 5 x 103 years
(4) 40 x 103 years
High School of Language and Innovation 2012 (draft)
Curriculum-Based Questions
 How can age relationships among bodies of rocks be
determined?
 How do fossils provide information about past
environmental conditions?
 How do scientists use nuclear decay (half-life time
period) to determine the absolute age of rocks?
 Complete one Relative Dating Activity from the
Geologic History Binder.
 Complete one Absolute Dating Activity from the
Geologic History Binder.
Earth Science Reference Table pg. 1
(related pages 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Some Past Part B-1, B-2, C Questions
August 2012 Questions 36, 37, 70-74
June 2012 Questions 70-72
*Released Regents Tests:
http://www.nysedregents.org/earthscience/
CURRICULUM TOOL: GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC AGE
Base your answers to the following 2 questions on the block diagram below, which
shows bedrock units A through F and boundary XX’.
2. The rock that formed in the contact metamorphic zone between rock unit E and rock
unit D is
(1) hornfels
(3) schist
(2) marble
(4) anthracite coal
3. Which sequence best describes the geologic history, from oldest to youngest, that
occurred at this site?
(1) deposition of F, D, C, D  intrusion of E  uplift and erosion  deposition of A
(2) intrusion of E  deposition of F, D, C, B  uplift and erosion  deposition of A
(3) deposition of F, D, C, D  uplift and erosion  intrusion of E
(4) deposition of F, D, C, D  intrusion of E  uplift and erosion
Resources for Learning
Readings
Websites
Videos
Holt (yellow book)
pg. 186-190, 194
Relative Dating
http://utahscience.oremjr.alpine.k12.ut.us/sciber03/middle/8_sciber/geology/html/ro
ckages.htm
Relative Dating Practice
http://raider.mountunion.edu/~mcnaugma/PHYSICAL%20PAGES/relativedatexerprob.
htm
Absolute Dating
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Dating-the-Past/Science-Ideas-andConcepts/Absolute-dating
Absolute Dating: A Measure of Time
http://www.slideshare.net/cfoltz/earth-science-33-absolute-dating-a-measure-of-time
Carbon-14 Dating
http://www.windows2universe.org/physical_science/physics/radiocarbon_dating.html
Foreign Language:
Vida Media
http://www.windows2universe.org/physical_science/physics/atom_particle/half_life.h
tml&edu=elem&lang=sp
Relative Rock Layers
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/
Dating-the-Past/Sci-Media/Animationsand-Interactives/Relative-rock-layers
At home:
Relative Dating
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa3Rp
rVIviU
Radioactive Decay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcKDH
tSc1ws
Geologic History
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gt0
WZkpfQo
Glencoe (big blue
book) pg. 557-565
McGuire (little
blue book) pg.
381-395 (relative
dating), 395-401
(absolute dating),
425-431
Unison Reading
Binder: Geologic
History
High School of Language and Innovation 2012 (draft)
In-Class
Activities
Geologic History
Binder
Geologic Age
Vocabulary
Geologic Age
Memory
CURRICULUM TOOL: GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC AGE
High School of Language and Innovation 2012 (draft)